Generally, each meeting of Narcotics Anonymous has a special topic meant to guide and facilitate discussion and sharing.

These topics are selected by group leadership and can vary depending on the needs of the members. One common approach, however, is to come up with topics related to the 12-steps of the program.

This way, each meeting can focus on a different step and how to achieve success in that step.

Here are some of the common topics you might see if you attend a Narcotics Anonymous meeting.

Step 1

Step 1 of NA focuses on admitting “that we were powerless over our addiction.”

As the first step, number one carries a lot of weight. It’s the first time you might really come face-to-face with your addiction.

With this in mind, some topics can include:

• surrender
• inadequacy
• complacency

While this step might be discouraging, don’t let it get to you. Give us a call at (800) 407-7195(Who Answers?) to talk with a representative about any doubts or fears you might have about NA.

Step 2

Step 2 of NA focuses on believing that “a power greater than ourselves could restore us.”

Therefore, some topics are:

• letting go
• what is a higher power?
• open-mindedness

Step 3

Step 3 of NA focuses on making a decision to “turn our will and our lives over to the care of God.”

Topics for this step are:

• how to believe
• surrender
• making decisions

Step 4

Step 4 of NA focuses on making a “fearless moral inventory of ourselves.”

You might talk about these topics in your meeting:

• fear and fearlessness
• group inventory
• self-examination

Step 5

Step 5 of NA focuses on admitting to others “the exact nature of our wrongs.”

Opening up about your wrongs mean you can focus on:

• humility
• identification
• rigorous honesty

Step 6

Step 6 of NA focuses on being “ready to have God remove all the defects of character.”

This means you will have to discuss the following topics over time:

• spiritual awakening
• serenity
• what are character defects?

Step 7

Step 7 of NA focuses on asking “Him to remove our shortcomings.”

Step 7 invites you to give up your old life and begin again, and should involve discussions on:

• patience
• principles before personalities
• willingness

Step 8

Step 8 of NA focuses on making “a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends.”

Because this is a hard step, it can be good to talk about:

• resentments
• honesty
• handling regret

How NA Meetings Saved my Life and Helped me Get OFF Heroin for Good

Step 9

Step 9 of NA focuses on making “direct amends to such people wherever possible.”

In order to encourage addicts to actually do this, topics might include:

• taking action
• how to make amends
• being friendly

Step 10

Step 10 of NA focuses on taking a “personal inventory” and admitting wrongs.

To facilitate this, topics can include:

• understanding the self
• vigilance
• acknowledging wrongs

Step 11

Step 11 of NA focuses on improving “our conscious contact with God” and praying for the power to carry out His will.

Many topics discussed at meetings dedicated to step 11 include:

• meditation and prayer
• how to reach for help
• hope

Step 12

Step 12 of NA focuses on your “spiritual awakening as a result of the steps” and carrying the message to other addicts.

As the last step, number 12 is very important. These topics focus on recovery after NA, and include:

• service
• being a sponsor
• sharing solutions

Have these topics inspired you to start sharing your addiction stories? Come to a Narcotics Anonymous meeting to begin your recovery today. For more information, just give our hotline a call at (800) 407-7195(Who Answers?).

References:

https://archives.drugabuse.gov/pdf/DCCA/GDCSession6.pdf

http://medicine.yale.edu/spiritualselfschema/training/hhrp/Margolin%20NEG%20Gr%208_tcm566-160747_tcm566-284-32.pdf

http://ibr.tcu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/12stepmanualall-eng.pdf